High operational costs are severely stifling Nigeria’s industrial sector, with manufacturers paying up to 10 times more for power, credit, and logistics than competitors in Vietnam and China. According to Kamar Bakrin, Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Nigerian manufacturers spent approximately N1.34 trillion on self-generated power last year alone. With manufacturing’s share of GDP stagnant at 8 percent and capacity utilization falling, Bakrin argues that the country must lower production costs to remain competitive under the African Continental Free Trade Area. He proposed urgent reforms, including dedicated industrial power clusters, single-digit lending rates, and streamlined port logistics to secure Nigeria’s manufacturing future.